Cranial-base morphology in adults with skeletal Class III malocclusion.

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to clarify the characteristics of cranial-base morphology in adults with skeletal Class III malocclusion and investigate factors relating to the establishment of a skeletal Class III malocclusion. METHODS: Initial lateral cephalograms of women were examined. Subjects with an ANB angle of 0° to 4°, normal overjet and overbite, and a Class I molar relationship were classified as Class I (n = 86). Those with an ANB angle less than -1°, a Wits appraisal less than 2 mm, a negative overjet, and a Class III molar relationship were the Class III group (n = 86) in this study. Angular, linear, and coordinate measurements were made. Multivariate analysis of variance and the Student t test were used to analyze significant differences between the 2 groups. Discriminant analysis, logistic regression analysis, and decision analysis were used to identify which cranial-base and maxillomandibular variables influenced the establishment of a skeletal Class III malocclusion. RESULTS: The Class III group had smaller values for NSBa, SeSBa, FH-SSe, and FH-SBa. Sphenoidale and basion were more inferior and anterior than those of the Class I group. There was no difference in the anterior and posterior cranial-base lengths between the groups. Greater mandibular length was the first major characteristic in the Class III group, followed by smaller values for SeSBa and NSBa. CONCLUSIONS: Cranial-base morphology in adults with a skeletal Class III malocclusion is different from that in a skeletal Class I malocclusion. Smaller cranial-base angles, steeper posterior cranial bases, more inferiorly positioned sphenoidale, and more anteriorly positioned basion are major characteristics of skeletal Class III malocclusions. These characteristics play important roles in the establishment of a skeletal Class III malocclusion.

Human periodontal ligament fibroblasts are the optimal cell source for induced pluripotent stem cells.

Among the various kinds of fibroblasts existing in the human body, the periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts have been suggested as multipotent cells. Periodontal ligament fibroblasts are characterized by rapid turnover, a high remodeling capacity and remarkable capacity for renewal and repair. They also differentiate into osteoblasts and cementoblasts. We established iPS cells from human PDL fibroblasts by introducing the ES cell markers Oct3/4, Sox2, Nanog, Klf4 and Lin28 by retrovirus transduction, even without the oncogene c-Myc. The iPS cells established in this study expressed the ES cell markers and formed teratomas in SCID mice. The c-Myc expression level in the PDL fibroblasts was higher than that in the iPS cells by quantitative RT-PCR. Therefore, we have concluded that PDL fibroblasts could be an optimal cell source for iPS cells.

Relationship between bone and ash weight to age, body weight and body length of thai adults after cremation.

BACKGROUND: Cremation is the most common Thai funeral mode. In Thailand, there have not been any previous reports of bone and ash weight after cremation. OBJECTIVE: Collect the bone and ash weight after the cremation and find the variables that affected the bone and ash weight. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and ten samples, including fifty-five males and fifty-five females, were collected from the Thai population. A Thai crematorium (Series Tiger 1) that could produce a temperature of approximately 850 degrees C - 1200 degrees C was employed. It took about 1-1.5 hours to complete the incineration. RESULTS: The average bone and ash weight of the males was 2.68 kg with SD 1.41; female was 2.12 with SD 1.25; and total was 2.40 with SD 1.36. The present study supported that age and body weight affected the bone and ash weight while the body length (height) did not. The fitted equation was y = 1.969 - 0.01846 (age) + 0.03087 (body weight), where y = predicted bone and ash weight. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that age and body weight affected the bone and ash weight. From this information, the authors could find the predicted value of either age or body weight. If the authors would like to find the age, the authors can employ the fittest equation y = 76.097 - 3.219 (Bone and ash weight) where y = predicted age. Additionally, if the authors would like tofind the body weight, we can employ thefittest equation = 51.930 + 1.673 (Bone and ash weight) where y = predicted body weight.

Normal internal organ weight of Thai adults correlated to body length and body weight.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the relationship between the internal organ weight with body weight and body length. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Analysis of data from 250 autopsies from the Ramathibodi Hospital from August 2003 to February 2005. The cases were from sudden unnatural death including accident, homicide and suicide and excluded decomposed bodies, fire related deaths and cases where medical treatment had been given. The age ranged from 15 to 88 years and there were 51 females and 199 males. Parson's correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between the internal organ weight with body weight and body length. RESULTS: The mean+/-standard deviation (SD) were represented by males and females respectively; Brain 1339+/-160/1165+/-184 gm, heart 311+/-66/278+/-160 gm, lung 910+/-347/675+/-255 gm, liver 1439+/-365/ 1214+/-275 gm, spleen 103+/-46/92.9+/-48 gm, kidney 260+/-68/230+/-42 gm. CONCLUSION: The relationship between internal organ weight and body weight showed each internal organ significantly correlated with body weight in males at p-value < 0.05, whereas in females it only correlated to liver, kidney and spleen at p-value < 0.05. For the correlation between internal organ weight and body length, it showed only brain, lung, liver and kidney correlated to the body length in males at p-value < 0. 05, but not in females.